Reversing sander



' April 7, 1942. c, A. CAMPBELL 2,279,158

REVERSING SANDER F'iled Nov. 25, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l f nventor CharZeSd. Cam/Mall Deceased 3:/ Carrz'ef. Ca m/nbeZZ/ Gttornegs Apri17, 1942.v QA, CAMPBELL 2,279,158

REVERSING SANDER Filed Nov. 25, 1940 2 sheets-sheet 2 lOl 85 loo nventor Charles CZ. Campbell,

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Gttornegs Patented Apr. 7, 1942 UNITED STATES PATE? OFFICE 2,279,153 mivERsING SANDER Charles A. Campbell, deceased, late of Watertown, N. Y., by Carrie E. Campbell, administratrix, Watertown, N. Y., assignor to The New York Air Brake Company, a corporation of New Jersey f i Application November 25, 1940, Serial No. 367,142

8 Claims. (Cl. 291-5) This invention relates to track sanding devices and particularly to such devices for use on railway cars which are operated in both directions.

The present trend is toward the sanding of all braked Wheels throughout a train. So far as the present invention is concerned this sanding may be controlled in any suitable way, known means being manual, automatic as an incident to every brake application, and automatic as an incident to emergency applications only. Timing mechanisms have been included in all three types to cause sanding, when started, to continue for denite periods. The present invention imposes no limitation as to the use of any such control.

Wherefthe direction of travel of the ear is reversible sanding mechanism must be provided for each direction of travel. The' present invention provides a selector to connect the sanding control (sanding relay) of the car selectively in controlling relation with sanding traps appropriate to the direction of travel. v I l This involves features of novelty in its electropneuinatic arrangement, in features which inhibit its operation as an incident to reversals during car shifting operations (which would cause useless wear and Waste of electric and pneumatic energy) and various other refinements which will appear upon consideration of the preferred embodiment now about to be described by refer- A ence to the accompanying drawings.`

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a diagram of the braking and sanding equipment of one'car. v

Fig. 2 is a sectionrthrough the selector valve device with an axial section through the selector switch which controls it. In this view the electrical connections are diagrammed.

Fig. 3 is a section through the selector switch on the line 3--3V of Fig. 2.

In the drawings, the arrow F indicates forward and the arrow R reverse directions of running. These terms are merely relative and used to permit differentiation of two relatively reverse functions as to sanding.

A desirable arrangement, indicated in Fig. 1,

is to sand ahead of the rear truck of the car, because this brings the sanding close to the leading truck of the next succeeding car and thus gives a better result than can be had by sanding ahead of the leading truck of a car whose two trucks are separated by a much greater interval. f

In Fig. 1 theautomatic brake pipe is indicated at I'I. It has the usual angle cocks I2 andjconnecting hose I3. Conductors valves are shown at I4. A control valve of the well known D422 type is indicated at I5. The auxiliary and emergency reservoirs are combined in the shell I6 and the displacement chamber appears at I I.

The control valve I5 charges the auxiliary and emergency reservoirs andthe supply reservoirs I8 during release and running conditions with air derived from the brake pipe, as is well understood. In response to reduction of brake pipe pressure it establishes appropriate controlling pressures in relay 9 which in response thereto admits compressed air from supply reservoirs I8 to brake cylinders 2|. Restoration of brake pipe pressure reestablishes release conditions according to principles familiar in the air brake art.

A sanding air supply reservoir 22 is charged in unison with reservoirs I8 but is isolated therefrom during brake applications by an intercepting valve 23 so` that braking rair can never be drawn upon for sanding while .an application of the brakes'is in effect. Reservoir 22 supplies sanding air to a relay 24. Relay 24 may be of any suitable type and only its function need be stated. The particular relay shown responds to the disclosure in application Serial No.`338,387, filed June 7, 1940. The traps conform to the disclosure in application Serial No. 314,173, filed January 16, 1940, and issued as Patent No. 2,243,243.

So far as is material tothe present invention, the relay 24 operates as follows: Normally inactive, it may be rendered active by emergency response of control valve I5, which then admits air under pressure to pipe 25. It may also be put into action by energization of train circuit 2li- 21, controlled from the headv of the train in any preferred way. The jumpers 28 provide inter-car connections for'the train circuit. A magnet valve forming part ofV relay 21|` and connected to branch leads 29-29 causes the relay to 'operate when the circuit is energized.

When the relay goes into action it supplies air to the cleanout air pipe 3|, then to the sanding air pipe 32 (cutting off the supply to 3|). As it goes out of actionr it cuts 01T the supply to pipe 32 and delivers a brief blast to cleanout pipe 3| to clear out residual sand.

With such a relay special traps are used. The forward set of traps 33F and the rear set 3BR have each a cleanout pipe 34F, 3ER. and each a sanding air pipe 35F, 3ER.

No novelty is here claimed for the apparatus so far described. It is typical of known practice (except as to provision for reversal) and the details are subject to wide variation. For example,

porting component is a bracket 31 to which all pipe connections are made. These comprise air` supply pipe 38 from reservoir 22 and pipes 3 32,

34F, 35F, 34R, 35B, above described. Passages forming extensions of these pipes are given the same identifying numerals. l Y f I On the right side of bracket 31 is theforward magnet valve assembly generally indicated at a branch of passage 51 and a port 61 connected with the spaces below the diaphragms 49 and 49S.

When the pistons are to the left in forward running position, as shown, piston 62 seals against a gasket, as shown, and a cavity 68 in slide valve 65 connects ports 66 and 61, exhausting the spaces below the two diaphragms 49, 49S so that springs 46, 48S position the valves 44, 44S as shown. When the pistons are to the right (-reverserunning position) piston 63 seals on a gasketand valve 65 isolates port 66 and exposes 39F and the reverse magnet valve assembly 39B..

Bolted to the left side is housing 4| which encloses the cleanout reversing unit 42, the sanding air reversing unit'43, and a piston operated slide valve which controls units 42V and 43 and is itself shifted reversely by momentary excitations of magnet valves 39F,` 3BR respectively. -The slide valve unit remains in either of its two positions after response to such momentary excitations and positions positively the large capacity poppet valves of units 42 and 43. Thus stability ofthe slide valve is combined with large flow capacity characteristics of poppet valves.

Fig.- 2 shows the parts in what is called ,for ward` position, i. e., travel indirection of arrow F of Fig. 1. Y

The .main valve of unit 42 is a double faced check valve 44 in a chamber 45 to which cleanout pipe and port 3| lead. The valve 4has oppositely extending pilots which guide. it in the opposed seats 46 and 41. Itis biasedtoward the latter by spring 48. Pipe andV passage 34F communicate through seat 46 and 34B. through seat41. Thus pipe 3| is connected to-34F for forward running (as shown)V and to 34R for reverse: running; in which case spring 48 must be overpowered so that valve 44 closes against seat 46. To shift the valve 44 against the opposition of spring 48 use is made of a diaphragm motor. The diaphragm 49 of this motor is clamped at its periphery about a recess in body 4| by arecessed cap 5I. The diaphragm is of the annular fold or slack type and carries clamped to its center a thrust" disc or hub 52. A` tubular stem 53 fixed in hub 52 houses a thrust plunger 54 which is yieldingly sustained by coil compression spring 5 5. The stem is closely confined in a guide, as shown, and when the hub 52 is Vforced upward a gasket 56 seals around the guideV to prevent leakage from passage 34R around the stem.' This is needed'because thev space above the `diaphragm is vented to atmosphere by port 51. The spring 55 permits fulldtraverse of hub 52 assuring tight sealing of gasket` 56 and valve 44.

The unit 43 is identical with unit 42 and the corresponding parts thereof are given the same numbers Vwith the distinguishing letter S.

Formed in the body 31 is a slide valve chamber 58 to which the reservoir pipe and passage 38 supply air at sanding reservoir pressure. At opposite ends of the valve chamber are cylinders 59 and 6| which communicate with the chamber and are of equal diameters. Alepair of pistons 62 .and,63, connected by a stem 64,v work in these cylinders and the stem is notched to confine a slide Vvalve 65. In the seatfor. the slide valve are two ports, an exhaust port 66 connected with 75 port 61. to pressure in chamber 58. This pressure reacting on diaphragms 49, 49S forces valves 44, 44S to their upper positions to connectpipes 34R, 35B, instead of 34F, 35F with pipes 3| and 32. Each piston 62 and 63 has a small through port as shown, to permit pressure equalization to occur slowly, so that the pistons are normallsr inert but either will become active if the space at its outer side be rapidly'vented. The unit 39F performs this function for the space to the left of piston 62 and 39H. for the space to the right of piston 63. y i

Referring first to 39E', chamber 1| is connected by passage 12 with the-space to the left of piston 62. In the chamber 1| is a double beat poppet valve 13 which seats upward to 'close an exhaust port 14 toward which it is biased by spring` 15. When forced downward it opens the exhaust port 14 and closes anormally open supply port 16 leading from chamber 11 to which a branchof reservoir passage 38 leads. The double beat poppet valve 13 is shifted when winding 18 is energized Vto force downward an armature 4(not shown) carried by valve, stem 19. f i. u Corresponding parts of unit 39R are similarly numberedwith the distinguishing letter R. The passage 12R leads, of course, to the space to the rightofpiston63. V l yi Brief excitation of winding 18 or 18R (1/2 second being a suitable period) will cause response of the` corresponding piston 62 or 63 followedby pressure equalization. The supply ports 16, 16B are not strictly-necessary and can be `omitted but their use-is preferred.. A double acting drag switch, or its equivalent, operated by a car axle or by a shaft driven thereby is usedto excite the windingsV 18, 18R selectively and briefly after the car has attained a running speed as contradistinguished from a yard switching speed. Such a switch isshown in Figs. 2 and 3. f Ay housing 8| is adapted -for mounting on a. journal bearing -cover plate. It includes aL Acover 82 having an inwardly extending sleeve 83lwhlch supports certain annular ball bearings lhereinafter described and also the xed arms 84 and 85, Supported on the bearings 86 and 81 is a shaft 88 with a forked end 89 by means of which it is connected to the journal in the journal box or to any other member which'frotates at a speed proportional to car wheel speed.; Theshaft 88 carries a disc 9| 4upon which are mounted a series of U-shaped permanent magnets 92 arranged to form alternate north and south poles around the circumference of the disc 9|. Y Y Mounted on bearings 93, which are supported on the outer side of the sleeve 83, isa-flanged disc 94. Thefianged portion of the disc is deeply slotted at uniform intervals to receive copper rivets 95 which `connect two copper bands 96 andl91, one on the inner side and the other on the outerside of the flange. This construction provides short circuited turns around successive segments of the flange of the disc. The permanent magnets rotate with the driven shaft within these segments and separated from them by a small air gap.

Mounted on the drum 94 are two spring plunger assemblies 98 andg99 which react against the arm 84 in opposite directions and tend to define a neutral position for the disc 94. The resistance developed by these spring plungers is adjustable by means indicated in the drawings. Motion oi the disc is limited by stops which are mounted on the disc and engage rthe arm 85.

Mounted on the arm `84 are three brushes |0|, |02 and |03. These coact with two contact strips |04 and |05 whose form is clearly shown in the drawings. These strips are mounted on an insulating block |06 carried by disc `94 and the parts are so arranged that brush |0| always contacts strip |04, brush |02 always contacts strip |05, while brush |03 will contact selectively with the strips |04 and |05 upon displacement of the disc from its mid position and will overtravel these contacts in the extreme position of the disc.

Brush 0| is connected with the winding 18 and brush |02 with the winding '|8R, while brush |03 is connected with one terminal of a battery |01 whose other terminal'is connected to complete circuits through the windings 18 and '|8R. The rotary system of magnets reacts reversely on the disc 94, depending on the direction of motion of the car and as car speed rises will closevand then open a circuit throughV a selected one of the windings '|8 or '|8R, depending upon whether the car is moving forward or reversely. The position of the parts as shown in Fig. 2 is that which is assumed as the result of energization of the winding 18. The circuit is closed brieiiy at forward and reverse speeds which are high enough to be outside the ordinary range of car shifting operations. It is undesirable to have the selector operate uselessly during yard shifting of the car and the desired results can be secured by the means described. However, the selector becomes effective at speeds low enough to produce the desired selection at any speed at which sanding on the train would be needed.

It is claimed:

1. In a track sanding system for railway cars adapted to run in opposite directions, the combination of two pneumatically operated sanding units, one for one and the other for the opposite direction of running; a sanding relay for controlling the supply of operating air to such sanding units; a selector valve mechanism having two alternative settings in which respectively it connects said sanding relay selectively in controlling relation with one or the other sanding unit; and means responsive to motion of the vehicle above a certain speed in relatively opposite directions and arranged to cause shifting of said selector Valve mechanism between said alternative settings according to the direction of running.

2. In a track sanding system for railway cars adapted to run in opposite directions, the combination of two pneumatically operated sanding units, one for one and the other for the opposite direction of running; a sanding relay for controlling thesupply of operating air to such sanding units; a selector valve mechanism having two alternative settings in which respectively it connects said sanding relay selectively in controlling relation with one or the other sanding unit; means responsive to motion of the vehicle in relatively opposite directions to cause shifting of said selector valve mechanism between said alternative` settings; yand means serving to delay the action of said responsive means until a vehicle speed is attained higher than that normally used in shifting operations whereby the selector valve is protected from undue wear.

3. In a track sanding system'for railway cars adapted to run in opposite directions, the Icombination of two pneumatically operated sanding units, one for one and the other for the opposite direction of running; a `sanding relay for controlling the supply of air to such sanding units; a pressure motor operated selector valve mechanism of large iiow capacity for connecting said relay selectively with said sanding units; a pilot slide valve having two positions in which respectively it conditions the pressure'motor of said selector valve mechanism to connect diierent ones of said two units; two electro-pneumatic means, each of which is adapted when excited for a brief period to shift said slide'valve to a corresponding one of said two positions; and controlling means responsive to motion of the car above a certain speed and adapted to excite said electro-pnuematic means selectively according to 'the direction of running.

4. .In a track sanding system for railway cars adapted to run `in opposite directions, the combination of two pneumatically operated sanding units, one for one and the other for the opposite direction of running; a sanding relay for control-A ling the supply of air to such sanding units; a pressure motor Aoperated selector valve mechanism of large ow capacityfor connecting said relay selectively with said sanding units; a pilot slide valve having two positions in which respectively it conditions the pressure motor of said selector valve mechanism to connect different ones of said two units; two electro-pneumatic means, each of which is adapted when excitedfor a brief period to shift said slide valve to a corresponding one of said two positions; and controlling means reponsive to the attainment of denite car speeds in opposite directions to excite said electro-pneumatic means respectively according to the direction of running. l

5. In a track sanding system for railway cars adapted to run in opposite directions, the combination of two pneumatically operated sanding units, one for one and the other for the opposite direction of running; a sanding relay for controlling the supply of air to such sanding units; a pressure motor operated selector valve mechanism of large flow capacity for connecting said relay selectively with said sanding units; a pilot slide valve having two positions in which respectively it conditions the pressure motor of said selector` valve mechanism to connect diierent ones of said two units; two electro-pneumatic means, each of which is adapted when excited for a brief period to shift said slide valve to a corresponding one of said two positions; and controlling means responsive to motion of the car in both directions and eiective within limited speed ranges in each direction to excite respective electro-pneumatic means according to the direction of running.

6. In a track sanding system for railway cars adapted to run in opposite directions, the combination of two pneumatically operated sanding units, one for one and the other for the opposite direction of running; a sanding relay for controlling the supply of operating air to such sanding units; an electrically controlled pneumatically actuated selector valve mechanism for selectively iconnecting'said relay with said sanderunits; switching means Aserving to control said selector mechanism; and means for operating said switching mechanism reversely in response to running ofthe car above a certain speed in relatively reverse directions. e

n '7. In a 'tracksandingsystem for railway cars adapted to run in opposite directions, the combination 'of twopneumatically operated sanding unitsone yfor each Vdirection of running, each such unit-having a cleanout air connection and a sanding air connection; a sanding relay havving 4connections for `controlling the supply of airA to the cleanout and to the sanding air connections of such units; -two pressure motor operated selector valve` mechanisms, each of large ow capacity, one for connecting the cleanout air connection ofthe relay respectively with the cleanout connections of rthe two units selectively and the other forconnecting 'the sanding air connection of the relay respectively with the sanding air connection of the two units selectively; a pilot valve arranged toicontrol thepressure motors ofsaid selector valvemechanisms in unison, saidv pilot valve having 'twof distinct functional positions, one for forward andithe other for reversefrunning, and-inV each of which the valve tends to remain unless positively actuated; two electrically aetuatednormally inert means for shifting,` said pilotfyalvegreversely between said functional positions; and .controlling means responsive to running `ofthe' car above a certain speed in .opposite directions to actuate said electrically actuated'` means selectively vaccording to thefdirection oflrunningiq-A l n 8.111 a track sandingsystem for railway cars adapted ,to run in opposite directions, the combination of two pneumatically operated sanding units, one for each direction of running, each such unit having a cleanout air connection and a sanding air connection; a sanding relay having connections for controlling the supply of air to the cleanout and tothe sanding air connections ofv such units; two pressure motor operated selector valve mechanisms, each of large flow capacity, one for connecting the cleanout air connection of the relay respectively with the cleanout connections of the two units selectively and the other for connecting -the sanding air connection of the relay respectively with, the sanding air connection of the two units selectively; 'a pilot valve arranged to control the pressure motors, 0fsaid selector valve mechanisms in unison, said pilot 'valvehaving two, distinct functional positions, one for forward and the lother for reverse 1` running, and in each of which the valvetendsto remain unless positively actuated; two electrically actuated normally inert meansA for shifting said pilot valve reversely between said functional positions; controlling means responsive lto running of `the car in oppositedirectionsto actuate said electrically actuated means selectively according to the direction of running; and means for delaying the operation of the last named means until the car attains a speed higher than that used in yard shifting whereby useless operation of the selector is minimized.

CARRIE E. CAMPBELL, l Administratria: of the Estate of Charles A. Campbell, Deceased. 

